WellSpring Program Facilitators

WellSpring programs are facilitated by a range of people from diverse backgrounds. More information about some of our facilitators can be found below (listed alphabetically by surname).

Jeanette Acland

Jeanette is a religious educator who spends a good deal of time on the floor. There, she is surrounded by children and adults who all wonder together. She encourages wonder. about God, about what Jesus’ stories might mean, about how to live with the stories, with other people and about life in general.

She has been teaching using a Montessori method of religious education, called Godly Play by Jerome Berryman. She is currently working with Baptcare’s Family and Community Services.

Jeanette is part of the Uniting Church community that meets at CERES Melbourne.

Paul Beirne

Paul is the Director of the Heart of Life Spirituality Centre in Box Hill, and is Emeritus Professor of the University of Divinity. He has been involved in spiritual direction and pastoral formation since 1977, and has interests in the spiritual and mystic traditions of East Asian religions and the symbols immanent in these traditions.

Peter Bentley

Peter has completed a Masters of Arts Degree looking at the relationship between Art and Spirituality and a PhD examining spiritual formation. He coordinates a team of trainers who run Post-Graduate courses as part of a Master of Arts course in the Spiritual Direction, Contemplative Practice and Personality, Spirituality and the Enneagram.

Austin Cooper

Austin Cooper OMI AM is a Senior Fellow of Catholic Theological College and member of the Department of Church History and the Department of Pastoral and General Studies. He lectures in Church History and Christian Spirituality. He is a priest of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (omi). Austin has led retreats in several countries and published widely in matters relating to Christian Spirituality and Church History.

Elizabeth Delbridge

Elizabeth is a trained Spiritual Director and Anglican priest who left parish ministry to focus on spiritual direction. Elizabeth understands her vocation as “holding up the light” so looks for prayer practices that illuminate the spiritual life thus enabling people to see more clearly and live more deeply. She enjoys listening to music, especially piano, and creating an indigenous garden.

Rhonda Dingle

Rhonda has trained as a Spiritual Director with WellSpring. She is committed to providing sacred, silent spaces of a reﬂective nature and is interested in encouraging people to explore a contemplative way of life. She believes in the importance of honouring the uniqueness of each persons spiritual/life journey.

Marg Donald

Margaret Donald is a spiritual director with a deep love for Celtic Spirituality, Centering Prayer, and the process of reflective art-making as a container for awareness. She is an experienced retreat facilitator and is passionate about offering creative silent spaces where each person can depth their own unique journey of the heart.

Karly Michelle Edgar

Karly is a visual artist, trained in theatre, with an MA in Church Practice, who has worked as the lecturer in art at Tabor, and is currently working as a lifestyle assistant in an aged care facility. She also lives with fibromyalgia, which effects life in varying degrees at different times. Karly’s creative work (her own and through workshops) focuses on the need for rest, the search for beauty, and creativity as spiritual practice. Her website is here.

Janette Fernando

Janette Fernando began seriously writing poetry on her first trip to Central Australia in 1990. She is a member of The Wordsmiths of Melbourne – a Christian poetry group that has been meeting monthly for 30 years. Her first book of poems, Two edged, was published in 2005 and was shortlisted for the Australian Christian Book of the Year award. Her second collection, Patches of Godlight, which also includes some of her photography and prayer journals, was published in 2016.

Janette loves being married to Roger and spends much of her time relief teaching at Mt Evelyn Christian School, being Managing Editor of Poetica Christi Press, and looking after her eight grandchildren.

Graeme Garrett

Graeme is an Anglican priest, theologian and writer. He has worked in theological education within the Melbourne College of Divinity, Charles Sturt University and Trinity College Melbourne, with interests in ecumenical theology, social ethics, preaching, liturgy, film and cultural issues.

In recent years, together with Jan Morgan, Graeme has tried to develop a spiritual practice of attending to the ‘visible voice’ of the natural world, learning from Indigenous wisdoms. This confronting experience lead them to collaborate in writing and speaking about ecological challenges that face Australia today, particularly in response to the call and plight of the oceans. The title of their joint book is, On the Edge: A-Way with the Ocean.

Jodi Green

Jodi has been a spiritual director with WellSpring since 2013, and holds a Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction.

Alongside her spiritual direction practice, she is passionate about the intersection of parenting and spirituality, and supports parents to explore the depth of their experience through WellSpring’s Soul Parenting program. Jodi also works as an ADHD Coach, specialising in supporting parents of children with ADHD and executive function challenges.

Jennifer Guild

Jennifer has a long history with embodiment. She has a background in dance and is a physiotherapist and a practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method of learning through movement.

Jennifer is also a spiritual director and has trained as a teacher of The Embodied Life™ work developed by Russell Delman, which has brought together her major interests in spirituality and the body/movement.

Leslie Hanger

Leslie is a WellSpring Spiritual Director. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry and is currently studying her Master of Spirituality. She is passionate to see people grow in their relationship with God. Leslie facilitates courses and retreats on spiritual practices which explore contemplation and its relevance to living, work, and ministry.

Marilyn Hinton

Marilyn Hinton is a spiritual director, completing the WellSpring Formation Course in 2000. Through this she developed a deep love for silence and found it to be a space of inner healing, refreshment and renewal, providing space for deepening our inner journey. She has facilitated a number of Soul Nurture Days / Retreat Days over the years at Wellspring as well as being part of retreat teams on other Wellspring retreats. She has also enjoyed introducing silent retreats in her church community. She is especially interested in people deepening in a loving, life-giving relationship with the Divine.

Jess Holt

Jess is a Counselling Psychologist currently working with refugees in Melbourne Western suburbs. Over several years, she has performed many stories with Katherine Jones: African myths, biblical stories, traditional tales, fairytales to personal stories. Jess and Katherine have ran numerous storytelling workshops both within professional and community contexts, with the purpose of strengthening people’s relationships with themselves and those around them. Their passion is to create fun and warm spaces in which wisdom can be passed around.

Apryl Huglin

Apryl is a WellSpring-trained Spiritual Director and has a Grad Dip of Divinity, a Grad Dip of Spiritual Direction, and is currently studying a Masters in Spiritual Direction. Apryl offers Spiritual Direction, Retreats and short courses in Contemplative Practices. Apryl is an artist with a particular interest in textiles and visual arts and the intersection between art and prayer. She also has a passion for meditative and contemplative practices and the deep inner healing that comes from communion with the Divine.

Liz Johnson

Liz is married to Michael, with two gorgeous daughters Rebecca and Caitlin. She grew up in a Christian family and attended an Anglican Church. She has been a member of Ashburton Baptist Church since 1995, and has participated in a number of groups and taken on positions of leadership. Liz is a trained teacher of Japanese and English as a Second Language (ESL), and has taught for many years in different school settings.

Together with Keren McClelland, Liz will share the leadership of StudioKids throughout 2018. Both Keren and Liz are artists convinced of the importance of creative spaces for young people finding their way in the world. They have also lived in Japan and that experience including simplicity and beauty in the arts has also influenced their interests, artistic skills and commitment to this program.

Katherine Jones

Katherine works in the heart of Melbourne in Academic Publishing. Over several years, she has performed many stories with Jess Holt: African myths, biblical stories, traditional tales, fairytales to personal stories. Jess and Katherine have ran numerous storytelling workshops both within professional and community contexts, with the purpose of strengthening people’s relationships with themselves and those around them. Their passion is to create fun and warm spaces in which wisdom can be passed around.

Patrick Kayrooz

Patrick Kayrooz is a transformational-innovator. He is a business development educator and motivator with a Masters in Education and a Degree in Theology and Philosophy. He is an internationally certified Enneagram trainer and teacher with the Narrative Tradition. Patrick’s passion is to foster self-awareness to deepen understanding of living, learning, loving, and leading. He is the President-Elect for the Board of the International Enneagram Association (IEA). Patrick is a passionate advocate of the The WID-Factor, endeavouring to ‘walk the talk’ in his own personal development and spirituality.

Marcel Koper

Marcel has over 20 years’ experience in the helping professions including counselling, management and teaching. In all his work, he emphasises the importance of self-care and attending to our own mental health. His approach is sensitive to where people are at in their life and spiritual journey. He co-teaches ‘The Art of Supervisory Practice’ at Stirling College with Joan Wright Howie (WellSpring Formation Team member).

Peter Leaver

I have been meditating at WellSpring for over twenty years and am still finding my way and would love to share your journey.

I am involved in and facilitate Men’s Work groups, for three years now, and think it’s one of the most worthwhile activities I have been involved in.

I have learned to keep an open mind and heart, that the greatest lesson is often in the greatest shadow, which often then transforms into the brightest highlight; and so out of my emptiness comes everything.

Elizabeth Lee

Elizabeth Lee has trained as a spiritual director at WellSpring and enjoys encouraging people in the exploration of contemplative spaces in many different contexts.

She has had a love for reading and poetry since childhood and is particularly interested in the role of poetry, together with other forms of art and literature, as a means of story-telling and as an invitation to connect more deeply with the experiences of our spiritual journeys. Elizabeth is currently the co-ordinator of the WellSpring Poetry Network.

Jo Lewis

Jo writes: I am a Spiritual Director with WellSpring. I delight in offering Soul Nurture Days, being on team with retreats and involved in all things contemplative.

Three days a week I am very privileged to work as a Pastoral Carer in Geelong. Amongst these and other things I am also a wife, a mother of three teenagers, someone who loves to walk at the beach/bush, be creative and drink strong coffee!

Monique Lisbon

Monique (widely known as ‘Mono’) is a published author and musician, and Administrator/Office Coordinator of WellSpring. In a past life she studied Philosophy and Theology, and she still enjoys spending time pondering what makes people and the world tick. Mono always has a project (or two!) on the go, and is looking forward to ‘chewing over’ ideas with others in a creative, social context in 2019, alongside Keryn Tolé in the ‘Chew and View’ sessions.

Ann Lock

Ann has been the Director of WellSpring since July 2012 and is a Baptist minister with over 20 years in pastoral and associated ministry. She left the world of business and industry to follow a call to ministry which surprised everyone, including Ann. The move to a deeper, contemplative way of life has been an experience of coming home and holds all that sustains Ann.

Margaret uses the wisdom of the Enneagram, a sacred map to the soul, to assist others in developing deeper levels of awareness of themselves and others. Her passion is moving people toward discovering their authentic self, which is often hidden beneath the repetitive behaviours of the performing self. This can bring to life the gifts of one’s essential nature, encourage personal transformation and enhance relationships.

Andrea Long graduated as a WellSpring Spiritual Director in 2014 and completed a Masters of Arts in Spiritual Direction in 2015.

She is passionate about the art of deep listening and creating a safe space in which pilgrims might feel able to share something of their story and explore the sacred within that. She delights in the mystery of silence and the gift it offers in our deeper transformation. Andrea also works as a clinical nurse specialist in community palliative care where she feels privileged to journey with people as they enter into the final part of their lives.

Roslyn Manson

Roslyn returned to Australia in 2013 after working and living overseas for many years. In 2017, she graduated as a spiritual director from WellSpring, and also completed a Masters of Spirituality. Roslyn has a passion for spiritual formation and discovering what helps us on our journey of becoming. She has a particular love of walking the labyrinth as a spiritual practice, and is grateful for the labyrinth as a host of contemplation and spiritual formation. She is a lover of nature, and a lover of beauty in all its forms.

Andrea Mayes

Andrea was born and grew up in Canberra. Her first degree was a Bachelor of Science (Resource and Environmental Management), which led to 10 years of environmental policy and program work with the Commonwealth government. Seven years ago, due to family circumstances, she moved to Melbourne. She started theological study at Stirling Theological College in 2012 and completed her Graduate Diploma in Theology in 2014. She started training as a spiritual director with WellSpring in 2014 and graduated in 2016. Her research paper in her final year was on ‘The Role of Spiritual Direction in Preventing Burnout in Ministers’.

Andrea also completed her Master of Arts (Spiritual Direction) in 2016 and her capstone research paper was on Incorporating Multi-faith Perspectives into Spiritual Direction. Over the past two and a half years she has been working for Churches of Christ Vic/Tas as a Data Processing Officer. Andrea is an active member of the Uniting Church and involved in an inter-faith environmental group called GreenFaith/ARRCC.

Keren McClelland

Keren McClelland is an ordained Baptist Minister, currently part of the pastoral team at Ashburton Baptist Church.

Together with Liz Johnson, Keren will share the leadership of StudioKids throughout 2018. Both Keren and Liz are artists convinced of the importance of creative spaces for young people finding their way in the world. They have also lived in Japan and that experience including simplicity and beauty in the arts has also influenced their interests, artistic skills and commitment to this program.

Maria McCormack

Maria McCormack has been a WellSpring member for 20 years. She graduated in 2002 as a WellSpring Spiritual Director.

Maria is from the Catholic tradition of the Christian Church and is drawn deeply to all that points us to unity in our human family, and to all that leads us into relationship with all creation. Her spirituality is about ‘coming home’ to experience life with joy, gratitude and compassion; to finding the Sacred in self, in other, in all.

Maria with her husband Peter have raised a family of four children, and are now celebrating the lives of their two precious grandchildren.

Maria is a member of the Spiritual Direction Formation Team and President of the Australian Ecumenical Council for Spiritual Direction (AECSD).

Mary McCowan

Mary McCowan is an experienced spiritual director who has been involved in facilitating silent retreats, and has a particular interest in visual art as a prayerful place.

Tim McCowan

Tim McCowan is an experienced spiritual director who has been involved in teaching prayer and enjoys contemplative activities like walking in nature, photography and reading.

Elaine Mitchell

Elaine is a Spiritual Director through WellSpring (2016) and has been a participant in a Spiritual Companioning group for nearly 20 years. Elaine has volunteered for WellSpring in the office over the last three years to give back to this “beautiful place”. Elaine was a secondary teacher and a Student Welfare Coordinator for 24 years. After this she worked in Mental Health, COTA, Vison Australia, Melbourne City Mission, Ford Motor Company, community houses and Eastern Health, so she has a variety of experiences. She is now retired and loves learning and participating in deepening spirituality.

Jan Morgan

Jan is passionate about our Earth-home and her book Earth’s Cry: prophetic ministry in a more-than-human world, was published in 2013. Her vocation has been in the field of pastoral care education at Peter McCallum Cancer Institute. She has developed an innovative course in eco-ministry with the University of Divinity.

In recent years, together with Graeme Garrett, Jan has tried to develop a spiritual practice of attending to the ‘visible voice’ of the natural world, learning from Indigenous wisdoms. This confronting experience lead them to collaborate in writing and speaking about ecological challenges that face Australia today, particularly in response to the call and plight of the oceans. The title of their joint book is, On the Edge: A-Way with the Ocean.

Jane Ormonde

Jane is a WellSpring spiritual director graduating in 2017, a pastoral carer and has had a professional career spanning journalism, pastoral care in a palliative care setting and many years overseeing settlement grants, refugee services and training for the Federal Government. She is a long-term spiritual seeker, a daily meditator and has had seasons of church involvement over her lifetime.

Chris Page

Chris is the minister of Toorak Uniting Church. He has co-led a monthly Contemplative group based on Parker J. Palmer’s model ‘The Circle of Trust’ at WellSpring for over 8 years. Chris’s spiritual influences come from the poets John O’Donohue and David Whyte, Thomas Merton, Richard Rohr and contemporary Celtic scholar John Philip Newell, among others. He is an experienced retreat leader interested in meditation and spiritual reflection drawn from the wisdom-traditions.

Carole Poustie

Carole Poustie is a spiritual director, author and teacher of professional creative writing. Her deep interest in the transformative power of story has lead her on a fascinating journey into the connection between the self and the alchemy of the poem.

John Steward

John loves to speak and write about healing and forgiveness in difficult situations of conflict. He volunteers in the Cranbourne Australian Gardens, is a spiritual director, a supervisor with the Living Well Centre in Malvern, and a member of WellSpring.

Grant Stewart

Grant Stewart is a qualified supervisor and spiritual director with experience in facilitating retreats and has served as a regional minister for the Baptist family of churches. At present he pastors a local church and is involved in a number of community ministries, including sports chaplaincy. His ‘sacred spaces’ include a yacht, various sea kayaks and a bicycle!

Keryn Tolé

Keryn has been a member of Ashburton Baptist Church for 30 years and a passionate supporter of WellSpring since its inception. She volunteers in the office and has represented ABC on the WellSpring Board.

The natural world is integral to her understanding of the sacred.

Tess Veenker

Tess is a Missionary Sister of the Sacred Heart and has been in this Congregation for over 40 years. She completed the Siloam Course (spiritual direction formation) at Heart of Life then worked with Jill Manton in the early beginnings of WellSpring. Tess continues as a spiritual director, is a WellSpring Board member, and has been a member of the Formation Course for many years, currently as a supervisor.

Sally Wall

Sally graduated as a WellSpring Spiritual Director in 2013.

She loves providing reflective spaces for people to take time out to listen and ponder over life’s joys, sorrows and mysteries. She is passionate about social justice issues and committed to getting along side those at the edges of our society.

Jude Westrup

Jude has extensive experience and tertiary qualifications in adult learning and teaching, botany, eco-creativity. art and spirituality. She merges, enfolds and integrates eco-creativity and the sacred in unique, transdisciplinary ways. Her art, prayer and botanical workshops encourage the exploration of aspects of your spiritual or soul ‘making’. Inspired by visual and sacred texts, using prayer and walking meditation, spirituality and eco-art-making are developed in quiet garden and eco-forest settings.

Sue and David Woods

Sue and David Woods have a long-lived connection with the Arrernte people of Central Australia. The daily Gospel Narrative of their ‘Wide Skies & Open Hearts Retreat’ will link the themes of Land, Water, Incarnation, Fire and Air with our story within the Central Australian landscape and its people. During the week, participants will be nurtured in a medley of prayer practices and visit aspects of the landscape to explore and appreciate the Arrernte Country… to sit, to walk, to draw, write or dance with the landscape.

Meewon Yang

Meewon is a Korean-Australian who has served as Multicultural Consultant with Baptist Union of Victoria for almost 20 years. She is a WellSpring spiritual director, and completed her Masters research at Whitley College on models of multicultural churches and the implications for mission. Meewon knows first-hand the joys and challenges of intercultural spiritual direction. She enjoys her family, time to meet people from different backgrounds, the communities of which she is part, movies, music, and the recent discovery of weeding.